Joanna Cassidy Movies
American actress Joanna Cassidy may not be a household name, but she is well-respected in Hollywood and has appeared in numerous feature films and on television. Before becoming a thespian, Cassidy had spent a year in college as an art major, been married and divorced, and modeled in San Francisco. She first entered films as a bit player in Bullitt (1968) and Fools (1970) then continued modeling while also working in television commercials. Cassidy had her first real part in the police drama The Laughing Policeman (1974). Though it wasn't a large, role, it did lead to her being cast in two more films that year: The Outfit and Bank Shot, in which she received prominent billing. Other notable roles from the '70s include The Stepford Wives (1975) and Stay Hungry (1976). Between 1977 and 1978, Cassidy was part of the short-lived ensemble of the sketch comedy/variety series Shields and Yarnell.Her film career continued too, but it was not until she played Zhora, the stripper/snakecharmer in Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982) that she made her biggest impression. She next appeared in Roger Spottiswoode's Under Fire (1983). Despite the early promise of her career, Cassidy, who specializes in playing strong-willed, independent and highly intelligent women, has never found a solid niche in Hollywood's galaxy of major movie stars. Through the '80s, Cassidy appeared most frequently on television in series such as Buffalo Bill (1983) -- where she played Dabney Coleman's girlfriend -- and in guest-starring roles and in various telemovies and miniseries, though she also continued getting supporting roles in various features, notably as Bob Hoskins' long-suffering barmaid girlfriend in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). Her film career picked up again in the '90s, but she still primarily appears on television. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Mad Men star Jon Hamm headlines this unusual low-budget mystery-thriller, as Detective Tom Adkins, a man haunted relentlessly by the disappearance of his ten-year-old son, Tommy, Jr. No leads immediately turn up in that case, but he does receive an early-morning phone call that draws him to the mangled and mutilated remains of a young boy slain 50 years prior. Tom takes on the case in an attempt to find absolution, and a second tale evolves, set 50 before, involving a man named Matthew Wakefield (Josh Lucas) and his son John. The baffling similarities between the Wakefield case and Tommy Jr.'s mysterious fate push Tom to the brink of sanity and ultimately lead him on a collision course with fate. Gradually, one step at a time, Tom stumbles onto the horrifying truth about what happened to his boy. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jon Hamm, Josh Lucas, (more)
Director C. Jay Cox explores the complex social and sexual landscapes of contemporary America with this heartfelt romantic comedy about a gay male who just discovered that the love of his life is about to tie the knot -- with a woman! Back in high school, Matt (Philipp Karner) and Ryan (James O'Shea ) were more than just best friends. But ten years after graduation, this once-inseparable pair has lost contact. One day, seemingly out of the blue, Matt receives an invitation to Ryan's wedding. Of course, there has been plenty of time for Ryan to develop new relationships in the ten long years since he and Matt last spoke, but the last thing Matt would ever expect is for his former high-school love to fall for a member of the "fairer sex." Convinced that Ryan is about to be taken advantage of by a scheming she-devil, Matt races back to the small hometown he once left behind and prepares to save his true love from a life of marital despair. Upon meeting perky bride-to-be Alex (Tori Spelling), however, Matt slowly begins to understand what it is that Ryan sees in her. Still, Matt can't mess up the opportunity to let the love of his life slip through his fingers, and ultimately decides to come clean about his true feelings for Ryan. Trouble is, Ryan views his romance with Matt as nothing more than a high school fling. As the wedding day draws near and long-buried emotions begin to bubble to the surface, Matt realizes that his feelings for Ryan are stronger than ever before, and his attempts to reconcile the past with the present will ultimately pave the road into an uncertain future. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tori Spelling, Philipp Karner, (more)
Japanese horror specialist Takashi Shimizu returns to the mythology that terrified audiences the world over with this terror-inducing sequel to the hit 2004 frightener. When a cursed Tokyo home is burned to the ground, the baneful spirit once confined within its walls is suddenly unleased to terrorize anyone and everyone who crosses its dark path. Original producers Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Taka Ichise return to help Shimizu realize his hair-raising vision with this tale that finds Karen's (Sarah Michelle Gellar) sister, Aubrey (Amber Tamblyn), teaming with spellbound journalist Eason (Edison Chen) to investigate the spectral mystery. Meanwhile, the ghostly grip of Toshio (Oga Tanaka) and Kayako (Takako Fuji) tightens on a Chicago housewife (Jennifer Beals) halfway across the globe. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Amber Tamblyn, Arielle Kebbel, (more)
- 2006
- PG13
- Add Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector to Queue Add Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector to top of Queue
A laid-back health inspector's comfortable routine receives an unwelcome shake up when he's assigned the task of training his new rookie partner and investigating the outbreak of a mysterious illness at one of the city's most posh restraints in this no-holds-barred comedy starring Blue Collar standup king Larry the Cable Guy. It's all greasy spoons and low-rent ethnic eateries in the world of seasoned big-city health inspector Larry (Larry the Cable Guy), and that's just the way he likes it. After begrudgingly accepting the task of training by-the-books trainee Amy (Iris Bahr), Larry lands the biggest case of his career when a group of high-class diners fall ill following a particularly pricey meal. Though the gruff but lovable health inspector soon loses his job as a direct result of his questionable manners, he soon wins the heart of a shy waitress while attempting to go undercover to crack the case and ensure that the conspirators who engineered the poisonous plan are brought to justice. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Larry the Cable Guy, Iris Bahr, (more)
After the death of his beloved wife, Helen (Lynne Moody), wealthy African-American suburbanite William Campbell (James Earl Jones) finds that Helen has left behind a "living will" in the form of a videotape. As William watches the video, his late wife urges him to take his huge personal library down to the tough inner-city neighborhood and to establish a reading room. Though confused by this request, William does exactly that, only to find that none of his new neighbors seem inclined to read -- not until he posts a sign reading FREE SODA. Ever so slowly, a few "regulars" trickle into the reading room, among them an idealistic young special-ed teacher (Joanna Cassidy), a high-schooler (Keith Robinson) studying for his SATS, and a little girl (Gabby Soleil) who hopes to get her mother to learn to read. For the most part, however, William's little sanctuary is the target of break-ins and the hangout for local gang members, and with this in mind it isn't surprising that several people encourage him to pack up and get out -- none more adamantly than the Reverend Rashid Rahim (played by George Stanford Brown, the film's director), a self-appointed urban activist who perceives in William a threat to his supremacy. Eventually, whether or not William stays or goes boils down to his attempt at "redeeming" a youthful thief named Javier (Douglas Spain) -- and it is at this point in the narrative that William finally understands why Helen wanted him to open up the reading room in the first place. Filmed with the endorsement of the National Center for Family Literacy, The Reading Room was produced for cable's Hallmark Channel, where it first aired on November 26, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Earl Jones, Georg Stanford Brown, (more)
The Fisher clan suffers, suffers some more, and eventually begins to heal in the fifth and final season of HBO's Six Feet Under. As the season begins, Nate (Peter Krause) and Brenda (Rachel Griffiths) are finally ready to wed after four seasons of tumultuous courtship. But when Brenda miscarries Nate's baby before the ceremony even gets under way, the prospects for their union don't seem particularly bright. Federico (Freddy Rodriguez) and Ruth (Frances Conroy), too, face trouble on the marriage front: Rico as he attempts to win back the love of estranged wife Vanessa (Justina Machado, now a series regular) and Ruth as she cares for mentally ill husband George (James Cromwell). When George's daughter, Maggie (guest star Tina Holmes), arrives in town to help out, she unexpectedly strikes up a friendship with Nate, her stepbrother, whose mood grows dark as his 40th birthday approaches. David (Michael C. Hall) isn't exactly a ray of sunshine, either, as he continues to deal with the emotional fallout of his near-murder the previous season. Then he convinces partner Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) that they should become parents, leading to a whole new cycle of joy and heartache. As for the youngest Fisher, Claire (Lauren Ambrose) drops out of art school and dates Billy (Jeremy Sisto), Brenda's frequently unbalanced brother. When things with her photography career and her relationship go south at the same time, Claire takes a menial office job to support herself. There, she meets Ted (Chris Messina), the Republican lawyer and unlikely love interest who will support her during the unexpected tragedy that brings Six Feet Under to a close. By the end of the show's final episode, the fates of the entire cast have been revealed in a finale as offbeat as it is elegiac. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael C. Hall, Peter Krause, (more)
The Virgin of Juarez stars Minnie Driver as a reporter investigating numerous deaths in the border town of the title. During the course of her work, she befriends a young woman named Mariela who claims to have survived a vicious attack by the assailant. Since the attack, she believes she has visions of the Virgin Mary. When she begins talking about this, many desperate people begin to look to her as a spiritual leader. As the small town becomes engulfed in this religious hysteria, the reporter has a more and more difficult time completing her assignment. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Minnie Driver, Ana Claudia Talancón, (more)
The mysterious death of Lisa Fisher (Lili Taylor) -- revealed in the third-season finale, "I'm Sorry, I'm Lost" -- casts a dark shadow across the entire fourth season of this critically acclaimed HBO drama. As funeral director Nate (Peter Krause) grapples with single parenthood and the aftermath of his wife's apparent drowning, he makes his way back into the arms of ex-girlfriend Brenda (Rachel Griffiths). Their reunion does little to help Brenda's budding romance with a hunky neighbor (Justin Theroux), but it does plenty to upset Lisa's grieving family. Meanwhile, David (Michael C. Hall) finds his newfound domesticity with boyfriend Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) interrupted by a surreal carjacking incident. As David slowly cracks up, Keith goes out on the road to provide security for trashy pop star Celeste (guest star Michelle Trachtenberg), who at one point unexpectedly seduces him. Art-school student Claire (Lauren Ambrose), too, find herself batting for the other team when she takes up with audacious performance artist Edie (guest star Mena Suvari). The relationship doesn't last, but ex-boyfriend Russell (Ben Foster) does help Claire stumble upon the new artistic direction that will lead to her first gallery show. Fisher matriarch Ruth (Frances Conroy) slowly gets to know the real George Sibley (new series regular James Cromwell), whom she impulsively married before learning about his history of mental illness. Meanwhile, family man Federico (Freddy Rodriguez) finds his own marriage disintegrating after he gets caught up in an affair with a needy lap dancer (guest star Idalis DeLeon). With its even darker-than-usual storylines, apocalyptic imagery, and shocking revelations, the fourth season of Six Feet Under alienated some fans and critics. Nevertheless, the show remained a strong ratings performer during this slightly shorter, 12-episode run. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael C. Hall, Peter Krause, (more)
- 2004
16 years ago, a little girl named Catherine was kidnapped by her nanny from the home of her wealthy parents. Now, a private detective has informed Catherine's mother Ellen (Joanna Cassidy) that her daughter has been relocated. Although Ellen welcomes the woman who identifies herself as Catherine (Tania Saulnier) with open arms, Catherine's new stepfather Charles (Greg Evigan) suspects that something is amiss. As it turns out, virtually everyone in the cast has a nasty little secret that would have best remained dead and buried (those, in fact, are the operative words: Dead and Buried). Produced for cable TV's Lifetime channel, Found originally aired September 20, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
David DeCoteau's horror film Witches of the Caribbean stars Nicole Cavazos as a teenager haunted by dreams of a witch who is burned to death. She takes a two-week vacation to a Caribbean island hoping to relax, but while there she begins to suspect her dreams are becoming a reality. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nicole Cavazos, Joanna Cassidy, (more)
- 2003
- PG
- Add Martha, Inc.: The Story of Martha Stewart to Queue Add Martha, Inc.: The Story of Martha Stewart to top of Queue
The casting of Cybill Shepherd as billionaire home-economics doyenne Martha Stewart in this made-for-TV biopic allegedly grew from a quip made by Today Show host Matt Lauer, that only three people were qualified to portray Martha: Shepherd, Candice Bergen, and Robin Williams (!). The film follows the traditional rags-to-riches route, as Martha rises from a poverty-stricken childhood in Nutley, NJ, to the head of a vast financial empire, largely founded upon her talent for whipping up inexpensive gourmet meals and her sagacious, tasteful home-decorating tips. (It is explained that this metamorphosis is borne of necessity, after Martha's lawyer husband, Andy [Tim Matheson], suffers a lengthy spell of unemployment.) Much is made of the contrast between the sweet, benign "public" Stewart and the hell-on-wheels "private" Stewart, and of course a great deal of footage is devoted to the Wall Street insider-trading scandal that brought about her spectacular downfall. Highlights include a vivid recreation of the confrontation between Stewart and TV host Jane Clayson on the set of CBS' Morning Show. Based on a best-selling book by Christopher Byron, Martha, Inc.: The Story of Martha Stewart first aired May 19, 2003, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cybill Shepherd, Tim Matheson, (more)
Love and death (and the problems they bring) remain the constants in the third season of the HBO drama series Six Feet Under. In season three, now that Federico (Freddy Rodriguez) has bought a 25 percent interest in the funeral home, the name changes from Fisher and Sons to Fisher and Diaz, and he sees to it that his presence is felt in the business. Nate (Peter Krause) has a series of bizarre and troubling dreams, and his relationship with Lisa (Lili Taylor) becomes strained; he becomes all the more conflicted in his feelings about her when she disappears en route to a visit with her sister. Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) and David (Michael C. Hall) hit a rocky patch in their romance, with the two trying counseling, vacations, and even threesomes in hopes of smoothing things out. Ruth's (Frances Conroy) loneliness manifests itself in not one but two romances. And Claire (Lauren Ambrose) finds her love life becoming quite complicated as she becomes involved with a crematorium employee as well as a troubled fellow student, and must also fend off the advances of a lecherous art teacher. The 13 episodes in the show's third season originally aired between March and June of 2003. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael C. Hall, Mathew St. Patrick, (more)
Tracey Gold stars as Nell Swanson, unjustly convicted of murder and serving a long prison sentence. In order to secure a parole, Nell agrees to join a tough forest firefighting unit, having been trained for such dangerous work while "in stir." Among her new colleagues is an abrasive Brooklynite (Ellen Dubin), a stalwart Native American (Nathaniel Arcand), and the ill-tempered "smoke eater" (Alexander Walters) with whom Nell had trained. In a rapidly paced climax, Nell not only must parachute into a raging forest conflagration, but must also rescue her own long-estranged daughter. Filmed on location in British Columbia, Wildfire 7: The Inferno debuted (with an astonishing lack of publicity) on the PAX network on November 1, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The second season of HBO's critically acclaimed series Six Feet Under finds the Fisher family struggling to keep Fisher & Sons, their funeral home, from being bought up by Kroehner, one of the leading conglomerates in the local death business. Meanwhile, the Fishers grow exponentially complex: Nate (Peter Krause) is baffled when his relationship with Brenda (Rachel Griffiths) becomes unhealthy, both emotionally and sexually; David (Michael C. Hall) continues his rocky relationship with Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) and slowly comes out of the closet; Ruth's (Frances Conroy) eccentricities keep her from fully realizing a relationship with her family and lovers; and Claire's (Lauren Ambrose) romance with the troubled Gabe (Eric Balfour) takes a turn for the destructive. Meanwhile, the entire family is still reeling from the impact of Nate Sr.'s (Richard Jenkins) death, and some members, particularly Nate, who is coming to terms with a potentially deadly medical diagnosis, are met by what appears to be Nate Sr.'s ghost when their sense of self is at its most complicated. The family is simultaneously rocked and brought together when Nate (Krause) finally reveals the news of his AVM, a rare brain condition which, without a highly risky operation, will likely cause Nate an early death. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael C. Hall, Mathew St. Patrick, (more)
- 2001
If not the best new drama series of the 2001-2002 TV season, Philly bade fair to be the loudest and most abrasive. NYPD Blue alumnus Kim Delaney stars as idealistic law school graduate Kathleen Maguire, who, after her divorce from assistant DA Daniel X. Cavanaugh (Kyle Secor), put out her shingle as a Philadelphia defense attorney. When Kathleen's partner Marion (Joanna Cassidy) suffers a nervous breakdown, she reluctantly goes into business with highly unethical lawyer Will Friedman (Tom Everett Scott), thereby launching a series-long shoutfest between the two strange bedfellows. If Will weren't headache enough, Kathleen also has to deal with slimy clients, ill-tempered judges, and a seemingly endless parade of eccentric courtroom habitué, most of whom have nothing but sex on their brains. Providing a bit of moral support and affection to the long-suffering Kathleen is her outspoken ten-year-old son Patrick (Scotty Leavenworth). It should be noted that a number of genuine Philadelphia lawyers actively disliked the series, labeling it "unrealistic" and "insulting" -- but they never said it wasn't entertaining. Executive-produced by the prolific Stephen Bochco, the weekly, 60-minute Philly was supposed to have been unveiled by ABC on September 18, 2001, but the network's coverage of the World Trade Center tragedy pushed the debut date up to September 25. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kim Delaney, Tom Everett Scott, (more)
- 2001
- R
- Add John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars to Queue Add John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars to top of Queue
Writer and director John Carpenter returns to the mixture of science fiction and horror that made The Thing (1982) a success. Natasha Henstridge stars as Lt. Melanie Ballard of the Martian Police Force, a member of a law enforcement team two centuries in the future, dispatched to the remote colony of Shining Canyon. There, the most notorious criminal on Mars, James "Desolation" Williams (Ice Cube), awaits transport to a more secure jail. Besides Ballard, the other cops include the rookie Bashira (Clea Duvall), hotshot and fast talker Jericho (Jason Statham), tough veteran and squad leader Helena (Pam Grier), and reliable soldier Descanso (Liam Waite). Once Ballard and her companions arrive in Shining Canyon, however, they discover that it's a literal ghost town. It seems that an archaeologist team led by Professor Whitlock (Joanna Cassidy) has uncovered an ancient relic at a nearby dig site, unleashing the vengeful spirits of the planet's long-ago warrior inhabitants, which have now possessed the bodies of the human invaders and set about trying to destroy them. After her team is decimated by the Martian specters, Ballard is forced to turn for help to the one person she can't really trust: Williams. Ghosts of Mars screenwriter Larry Sulkis broke into the film business as producer of the satirical commercials in Carpenter's They Live (1988). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ice Cube, Natasha Henstridge, (more)
Jean de Segonzac directs Richard Crenna and Craig T. Nelson in the police thriller To Serve and Protect. Police officer Tom Carr begins to look into the death of a woman, but his suspicions that his perp is a serial killer become more pronounced after the death of a judge. Although Carr is able to get help from two other generations in the Carr family, he must step up his game when the killer takes an unexpected hostage. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Crenna, Craig T. Nelson, (more)
- 1999
This imaginative video helps the reader discover answers to ancient spiritual questions. Featuring dramatic readings by Joanna Cassidy, Martin Sheen, and Robert Guillaume, Deepak Chopra: The Crystal Cave - Lessons from the Teachings of Merlin presents the ancient legend of Merlin and King Arthur. Spiritual author and speaker Deepak Chopra introduces the legend, then follows up by leading the viewer in the interpretation of the ideas and myths of the story.
~ Sarah Block, Rovi
~ Sarah Block, Rovi
Marshall Herskovitz directed this look at life in 16th-century Venice, based on Margaret Rosenthal's 1994 book The Honest Courtesan. Positioned outside of the Venetian court, Veronica Franco (Catherine McCormack) hopes to rise above her station, but her interest in nobleman's son Marco Venier (Rufus Sewell) is blocked since his parents forbid their marriage. Following the path taken by her mother, Paola (Jacqueline Bisset), Veronica becomes a courtesan, finding this gives her a niche in the male-dominated society. When Vatican emissaries accuse her of witchcraft, she lashes back, using the trial as a feminist forum to expose the hypocrisies of the period. Filmed in 1996 in Venice and Rome with a variety of working titles (Courtesan, Venice, and The Honest Courtesan). ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Catherine McCormack, Rufus Sewell, (more)
- 1998
Having walked out on her cheating husband Jeff (Esai Morales), Terry Silva (Janine Turner) moves in with her best friend Elaine Greer (Joanna Cassidy). This set-up proves most untenable when Terry finds out that Elaine is Jeff's longtime mistress! Vowing to exact revenge on both Jeff and Elaine, Terry fakes her own death--intending to frame her husband and her faithless friend for murder! Yet another variation on the old Diabolique formula, the made-for-TV Circle of Deceit was clearly conceived to showcase the versatility of Northern Exposure star Janine Turner, who also served as one of the project's producers. The film first aired over ABC on January 29, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1997
- R
In this tense political thriller, a CIA agent turns in his credentials after one of his assignments, which involved covering up some embarrassing information for the president, unexpectedly leads to someone's death. However, he's brought back in to help investigate the murder of one of the president's leading advisors, only to find it's all part of a plan to silence those who know too much -- which would also include him. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 1997
The mysterious reasoning of women who protect men who hurt them is explored in this psychological drama. Hedda (Robin Wright-Penn) was once involved with a man who had a long history of violence against women (played by Anthony Lucero). Even though Hedda broke up with him after a violent incident that caused her to fall out of a window, she hasn't been able to get him out of her mind, and her sorrow over ending the affair has led her to attempt suicide on more than one occasion. After the man's most recent girlfriend died as an indirect result of his abuse, District Attorney K.D. Dietrickson (William Hurt) has decided to file charges of negligent homicide against him, and he wants Hedda to testify in court to help establish a pattern of abuse. However, for whatever reason, Hedda still loves him, and in her mind she has turned the incident into a situation in which she was at fault. Despite the urgings of Hedda's concerned parents (Joanna Cassidy and Paul Dooley) and her sister, a tough lawyer named Brett (Amy Madigan), Hedda seems unmovable, which makes it all the more difficult for Dietrickson to stop the abuser before he can hurt someone else. Sean Penn, who happens to be Robin Wright-Penn's husband, served as co-producer and has a showy cameo role early in the film. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robin Wright Penn, William Hurt, (more)
This made-for-cable black-comedy stars Beau Bridges as a governor in a future United States, with an unusual plan for his state. Bridges stars as Jim Farley, the Governor of Idaho, who decides that the only way to keep the new immigrants out of his state is to close down the borders. Defying the President (Phil Hartman), he gets some help implementing his plan from some zealots in militias. Bridges won the Emmy for his performance. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Beau Bridges, James Coburn, (more)
- 1996
In this video, popular writer and physician Deepak Chopra explains the Holy Grail's importance as a symbol of spirit, rather than as an object capable of being possessed. Included is a narrative of the Grail legend, dramatized with help from such actors as Robert Guillaume, Martin Sheen, and Joanna Cassidy. Through the use of this dramatization, Chopra shows how the symbol of the Grail can be useful in everyday life. Fans of Chopra's philosophy or those with an interest in a contemporary view of ancient myth will find this of use. ~ Rob Ferrier, Rovi
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